Reed Palmer, chef de cuisine at Folia Bar & Kitchen in Appellation Healdsburg, speaks passionately about the upcoming Pigs & Pinot.
“It’s not just a festival; it feels like being welcomed into a culinary family reunion,” he says. “What keeps me coming back is both the tradition and the mentorship. You’re in a kitchen or at a table with people who’ve shaped American dining, and they’re generous with their knowledge. That’s rare.”
Of course, Reed would know. He’s the son of Chef Charlie Palmer, who has earned over 20 Michelin stars and who launched this “best of the best” pinot noir and heritage pork celebration in Healdsburg 20 years ago when Reed was just a boy. Appropriately, this year’s theme is fathers and sons.
Running Friday, March 20 and Saturday, March 21, Pigs & Pinot 2026 showcases an impressive lineup of chefs, winemakers and sommeliers at Charlie’s new Appellation Healdsburg hotel.
The players
Reed and Charlie Palmer — a self-described pinot guy — are one of several duos featured at the festival that include recognizable names such as Wolfgang Puck and his son Byron Lazaroff-Puck, Emeril Lagasse and his son E.J. Lagasse, Jean-Georges Vongerichten and his son Cédric Vongerichten, and Dr. L. Timothy Ryan and his son Jackson Ryan.
“I always love cooking and working alongside my Dad, so to be able to share that same experience alongside E.J., Byron, Cédric and Jackson is going to be really special,” Reed says.
Bringing the “pigs” piece to the proceedings, the chefs offer several ways for attendees to taste their delicious pork-centric dishes. They not only dish out the food pairings for the famed Pinot Cup — the opening-day competition that pits 60 pinot noirs against one another — but they also cook up the cuisine paired with wine for the gala dinner.
But chefs are just one half of the magic. The festival, in its 19th year, is also marking a first: The gala will feature all-female winemakers, including Eva Dehlinger of Dehlinger Winery, Perri Haughwout of Perri Jaye Vineyards, Ashley Herzberg of Innumero Wines, Anne Moller-Racke of Blue Farm Wines and Heidi von der Mehden of Merry Edwards.
“The father-and-son theme opens the door for a lot of shared perspectives but also individuality on the plate,” Charlie Palmer says. “And the all-female gala winemaker lineup this year is incredibly special — these are highly respected producers shaping Sonoma County’s pinot story.”
The highlights
While Pigs and Pinot enjoys the status of a high-end food and beverage showcase, it’s still accessible. The casual mix-and-mingle vibe makes the food, wine and the people who make them feel friendly and familiar. And there are plenty of opportunities to get educated directly from culinary masters.
“It’s designed for people who really want to immerse themselves in the culinary and wine world at a deeper level,” Charlie says.
In addition to tasting the bounty of these talented few, attendees can also watch the conversation unfold in front of them as emcee, comedian Mario Cantone — known for his role as Anthony in “Sex and the City” — leads the Table Talk Seminar with gala chefs about what goes on behind the scenes.
Prior to the official festival’s opening on Friday, VIP ticketholders can attend an exclusive one-hour event, where they can pick the brains of gala chefs and winemakers while enjoying canapes and a selection of pinots.
If you purchase a lodging package, you will get the opportunity over the weekend to get up close and personal with each of the event’s stars during fireside chats and to enjoy off-site wine-tasting sessions at Bricoleur Vineyards and Bob Cabral Wines. Reed says chefs really let their guards down during some of these intimate events.
Chefs and winemakers will also mingle with all guests at Saturday’s closing event, The Final Flight, while sipping on signature cocktails and noshing on curated bites while revisiting some of the weekend’s most beloved wines.
The major attractions
The main events, of course, include Friday’s Taste of Pigs and Pinot, the high-energy kickoff event boasting more than 60 pinot noirs to sample. This includes the “Pinot Cup” competition that aims to crown the best sips in attendance. And if you still have more party in the tank, Pinot After Dark keeps the celebration going with an intimate late-night affair complete with food, wine and cocktails.
If you crave more competition, Saturday’s Ultimate Pinot Smackdown Seminar delivers. Watch master sommeliers get competitive, pouring wine flights for audience members in a March Madness-style elimination event that will end in one contestant taking home top honors.
The other big attraction is Saturday’s gala dinner — a five-course, wine-paired food experience that features not only food from the father-and-son chefs but also samplings of acclaimed pinot noirs from the female winemakers.
“What excites me most is the collaboration because that’s where the magic always happens,” Charlie says. “The Gala Dinner is a highlight because you’re seeing multiple chefs, across generations, cooking with a shared respect for the ingredient but very different perspectives.”
The collaboration
The menus are still being finalized but you can rest assured, every course will be created with the wine in mind.
“We think a lot about preparations of heritage pork that show nuance with different cuts, different techniques, and layers of flavor without overwhelming the wine,” Charlie says. “Guests will experience everything from elegant, site-driven pinots to more structured, powerful styles, and the dishes are designed to let those wines really speak.”
The trick is in starting with the flavor profile of the wine instead of starting with the food. “It’s a true pairing this way in my opinion,” Charlie says.
The philanthropic impact
The event also helps to support Charlie Palmer’s other pride and joy – the Palmer Family Education Foundation, focused primarily on raising awareness and creating financial pathways for young people interested in careers in food and wine.
Specifically, Pigs & Pinot helps the foundation to raise scholarship funds, including $50,000 to attend the Culinary Institute of America, multiple $10,000 scholarships to Sonoma State as well as funding for Court of Master Sommeliers Introductory Course/Exam and Odyssey Wine Academy Wine & Spirits Education Trust (WSET) offerings. In addition, the foundation supports arts and music education with the help of Healdsburg Center for the Arts, Luther Burbank Center for the Arts, Cloverdale Performing Arts and Play It Forward Music Foundation.
Details: Appellation Healdsburg, 101 Dovetail Lane, Healdsburg, 707-723-2000; appellationhotels.com/hotels/california-healdsburg. To purchase tickets, visit pigsandpinot.com.
Leave a Reply